SD House committee points to ‘in office’ clause to clear AG

UPDATE MARCH 30, 2022:

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Republicans on a South Dakota House committee want to clear the state’s attorney general of impeachment charges for his actions surrounding a 2020 fatal car crash. But those pushing to remove Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg from office are not giving up before the full House convenes in two weeks. A House committee investigating whether Ravnsborg should face impeachment charges concluded its monthslong inquiry late Monday by voting 6-2 on party lines to recommend that Ravnsborg, a Republican, face no impeachment charges. Gov. Kristi Noem quickly slammed the decision of her fellow Republicans and called on House lawmakers to “do the right thing” when they meet on April 12, 2022.

UPDATE MARCH 29, 2022:

The South Dakota House Select Committee on Investigation has recommended (March 28, 2022) that Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg not be impeached in connection with the death of Joe Boever near Highmore in September of 2020.

The vote of the committee was 6-2, along party lines, against impeachment.

Committee Vice Chair republican Representative Mike Stevens of Yankton voted for the resolution to not impeach.

One of the no votes was from democratic Representative Ryan Cwach of Yankton.

Cwach, who is an attorney, says the law enforcement testimony contradicted statements made by Ravnsborg.

Stevens says the facts of the case didn’t fit the requirements for impeachment.

Stevens, who is also an attorney, says their case was a constitutional one.

Cwach says Ravnsborg should have appeared before the committee.

The full House will return to Pierre April 12, 2022, to consider the question of impeaching the Attorney General.

(WNAX radio contributed to this story.)

UPDATE MARCH 28, 2022:

The House Select Committee on Impeachment is not recommending the impeachment of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. The report containing the recommendation goes to the full House of Representatives which will reconvene on April 12, 2022, for a special session.

The recommendation issued today (March 28, 2022) serves as the next step in the process before the full House weighs in on whether or not to impeach Ravnsborg.

Democratic Representatives Jamie Smith and Ryan Cwach were the only ones on the committee who voted against the Do Not Impeach recommendation. They issued a minority report alongside the full committee report.

The committee is also releasing the redacted investigation files to the public following the meeting. These files contain documents, photos and videos from the investigation. The release of the files has been a point of contention between the committee and the Governor throughout the course of the investigation.

The files will be available on the Legislative Research Council’s website.

MARCH 28, 2022:

The House Select Committee on Investigation will meet again today (March 28, 2022) as legislators gather in Pierre for the final day of the 2022 session.

The committee has been debating the possible impeachment of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg for his conduct surrounding a fatal vehicle-pedestrian accident near Highmore in September 2020.

Committee Chair Representative Spencer Gosch of Glenham says their meeting is tentatively set for 3pm.

Gosch says they plan to make their report public today and will likely give the full House their recommendation.

Gosch says they’re hoping the information will become available to the public online, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

The committee’s report will set the tone for House lawmakers as they prepare to vote on whether or not to impeach Ravnsborg when they meet for a special session April 12.

Governor Kristi Noem and other members of her administration have been pressuring the committee to impeach the Attorney General.